


autumn locks, ocean eyes

by driizzle



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Flower Crowns, Fluff, Flustered Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Hair Braiding, Light Angst, M/M, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self Confidence Issues, Snufmin Appreciation Week 2019, moomintroll is an absolute BEAST tbh, snufkin needs love (but what else is new)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-04-24 03:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19164892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driizzle/pseuds/driizzle
Summary: They had no idea how to call it. This intolerable yearning the both of them shared. All they knew is that they never wanted to leave each others side ever again. But in order to make that dream a reality, one of them will have to confess and make it real.Just a series of fluffy one-shots for snufmin appreciation week! no clue what im doing lol





	1. Day 1: Flowers

The sunset over the meadow’s horizon sent brilliant violet and orange hues dancing across the newly-sprouted grass, painting a picturesque portrait of the spring to come. It was a beautiful sight to behold. But all Snufkin wanted to look at was Moomintroll’s smiling face.

They found themselves chatting quietly amongst themselves under a cherry tree, giggling and shushing each other like they were plotting something. It had taken them a while to pry themselves away from their nosy friends so they could have some alone time; they hadn’t told them about the true nature of their relationship yet. They weren’t even quite sure how to describe it themselves.

Snufkin was lying down in the grass, his head resting in his friends’ lap. Moomintroll was busy weaving together flowers they’d collected on the way there to make a wreath for Snufkin’s hat.

“Alright, your turn,” Snufkin said, taking a puff from his pipe. “Let me know when you’ve got something.”

Moomintroll chewed his lip, thinking. “Hmm… alright, got it!” he chirped.

“Okay… is it an animal?” Snufkin asked, pulling up some grass in his hand. Moomintroll shook his head.

“Nope! That’s one down,” he said.

Snufkin thought for a moment. “Uhm… okay, is it a person, perhaps?”

Moomintroll shook his head again. “Nuh-uh!”

“Not a person or an animal… is it a thing, then?”

Moomintroll beamed. “Yes, actually! Seventeen left.”

Snufkin crossed his legs and furrowed his brow, pensive. Moomintroll giggled at his perplexion.

“Well… hm…” he mumbled under his breath. “Is it a tool?”

“No!”

“Something used to store things?”

“Not really, no.”

“... Is it a food? Something you could eat?”

“I mean, it could be. But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Snufkin peered up at his friend with an incredulous expression. “That’s not very helpful, Moomin.”

“Well, you’re the one asking the questions!” he defended himself, pointing at him with a lilac. Snufkin rolled his eyes and blew a ring of smoke into his face. Moomintroll coughed, waving away the cloud.

“Gross, Snufkin,” he groaned. Snufkin chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I give up,” Snufkin declared, “what is it?”

Moomintroll huffed. “You can’t just give up! You’re only six questions in.”

Snufkin rose to his feet and wiped the dirt off the back of his outfit. “Sure I can. I just did.” Snufkin grasped his friends’ arm and pulled him to his feet.

“That’s not fair!” Moomintroll complained. “I guessed the last one!”

He shrugged helplessly as Moomintroll picked up Snufkin’s hat and placed the half-finished crown inside. “Yeah, well, you’re better at this game than I am.”

“Whatever. I’m not telling you what it is.”

“Aw, what?”

Moomintroll leaned against the tree, crossing his arms stubbornly. He stuck out his tongue. “If you want to know, you have to guess it! That’s how it goes.”

Snufkin paused their half-hearted argument to look up at the sprawling boughs of the cherry tree. An idea popped into his head. “Hey, give me a boost,” he said, “I want to climb up.”

Moomintroll looked up, surprised. “But this is Mr. Hemulen’s! You know how long he spent growing this.”

“I know,” Snufkin said, testing the strength of one of the lower-hanging branches. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Reluctant, Moomintroll wrung his hands as his friend kicked off his boots. Then, they count down in unison before Moomintroll wrapped his arms around his friends midsection and lifted him up onto his shoulders (it wasn’t difficult, Snufkin was quite a bit smaller than his counterpart).

“Ah, steady, Moomin!” Snufkin squeaked, gripping his fur for dear life as they wobbled precariously.

“I’m trying!” Moomintroll grunted, grabbing the tree trunk for balance. “This isn’t as easy as it looks, you know.”

Trying his best not to struggle too much, Snufkin reached up and grasped one of the load-bearing branches. He hefted himself up with a little “hup!”.

“I got it,” he called down, swinging his legs around the limb. “Your turn!”

Moomintroll squinted upwards at his companion, shielding his eyes with his paw. “Aren’t I too heavy?” he asked, face scrunched up worriedly.

“Nonsense!” Snufkin stated in confidence. “It’ll be fine, Moomin.”

Moomintroll gulped, taking a moment to psyche himself up. He reached up and returned Snufkin’s hat, careful not to crush the flowers inside. Then, he bent his knees and jumped up, grabbing onto the branch next to Snufkin. The whole tree seemed to tremble a bit, and Snufkin started to second-guess his decision.

“Ah, be careful, Moomintroll…” Snufkin said, offering his free hand to pull him up. Moomintroll ignored it, hoisting himself onto the bough with little difficulty.

“I’m good,” he affirmed, clinging to the branch, “but if I die, it’ll be your fault.”

Snufkin laughed, hiding his smile with his hand. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Snufkin stood on his branch, arms out at each side to keep his balance. Then, he jumped over to the branch Moomintroll was stationed on. It creaked and groaned in protest. Moomintroll shifted a little bit to the side to make room, and took his arm so he wouldn’t fall over.

“Don’t fall, now,” he chided. Snufkin sat down and crossed his legs deftly, leaning against his partner. Moomintroll’s fur was soft and warm, and seemed to envelop his whole world.

“Only for you, dearest,” he replied softly, giving his hat back to Moomintroll. They both stared at each other for a moment before realization hit. Moomintroll averted his eyes with an infatuated giggle, his tail swishing back and forth madly. Snufkin couldn’t help but laugh as well, his face lighting up bright red. He hid his embarrassment by immersing it deep in his fur.

They sat like that for a while, enjoying each others company in a comfortable silence. Moomintroll went back to work on the flower crown, playfully placing Snufkin’s hat on his own head (it was a bit big, of course). Snufkin whistled peacefully, taking in the lovely smells of spring. The cherry tree’s blossoms had finished blooming, though it was too early for them to bear any fruit.

He reached up and plucked a flower from a nearby branch. He held it in his hands. This would look lovely in Moomintroll’s fur. Snufkin tapped his shoulder.

“Mhm?” Moomintroll hummed, not looking up from his work.

Snufkin reluctantly left the safe confines of Moomintroll’s fur and showed him the flower, then gestured towards his fur. “Uhm. Would you mind if I…?”

Moomintroll’s eyes lit up. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “Of course, I would be honored.”

Snufkin grinned, turning around to face Moomintroll. He’d been trying something new as of late; growing out his fur. Snufkin was thrilled, for various reasons, and spent a shameful amount of time just laying in it and brushing it out. It was hard work to maintain, after all, and Moomintroll often needed help cleaning it up.

Snufkin excitedly set to work braiding his friend’s fur, occasionally putting a little cherry blossom in to pretty it up.

“... Is it alive?” he asked after some time.

“What?”

“For the game. Is the thing you’re thinking of alive?”

Moomintroll turned to look at him, squinting. “I thought you gave up,” he said, unable to contain his smile. Snufkin shrugged meekly.

“Changed m’ mind,” he said. Moomintroll rolled his eyes humorously and turned back to the crown.

“It is, actually. I believe you have thirteen left?”

Snufkin grunted in agreement, picking off another one of the blooms. “So it is a thing that is alive, but isn’t a person nor an animal… then it must be a plant of some sort?”

“Yep!” Moomintroll chirped. Snufkin put a finger on his chin.

“Hm…” he idled, thinking. “What color is it? Gimme a hint.”

Moomintroll snickered. “It has to be a yes-or-no question, silly!” he chastised jokingly.

Snufkin groaned. “Ugh, fine. Is it a kind of flower, maybe?”

“It is.”

“Some sort of orchid?”

“Nope!”

Snufkin bit his lip in concentration. “A rose, perhaps?”

“No. Nine left, I think. Finished!”

Snufkin paused his braiding, curious. Moomintroll turned on the branch (causing everything to wobble just a bit) and plopped Snufkin’s hat back in his lap. Then, he picked up the flower crown and lay it over the top so it rested on the brim.

“Here we go!” he announced, holding it up proudly. “Do you like it?”

Snufkin did. It was a lovely arrangement, adorned with various peonies, roses, and sweet peas. There were a few yellow tulips as well. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he gazed at it, and his heart swelled.

“This is beautiful, Moomintroll. I love it,” he exclaimed in awe, turning it around to look at each side. “It’s very well crafted, if I may say.”

Moomintroll blushed, fidgeting bashedly. “Is it really?” he said quietly. Snufkin nodded and took a closer observation. Hidden amongst some ferns, he noticed a dab of blue.

“What’s this?” he asked, pointing it out. Moomintroll leaned in close to take a look.

“Those are forget-me-nots,” he said. “They represent… um… the remembrance of someone who is far away, I believe. They’re some of my favorites.”

Snufkin chuckled. “That’s pretty straight-forward, I suppose. Any chance these are what you were thinking of?”

Moomintroll’s eyes widened a bit. “Uhm. Yes, actually.”

“Huh? Really?”

Moomintroll nodded, glum. “They were. How did you know?”

Snufkin laughed and blew some hair out of his face. He put the decorated hat back on his head and beamed grandly at Moomintroll.

“That was just a wild guess, I swear,” he said.

Moomintroll gently shoved his companion, chuckling. “Oh, please” he said, his eyes sparkling.

~

After a few more hours of talking and goofing off, they decided to head back. They didn’t want to miss dinner; Moominmamma was serving pie for dessert. They were whispering amongst themselves as they walked, telling secrets, asking questions.

“Well, I’m not quite sure…” Moomintroll said, thinking. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer. Like Pappa. But now, I don’t know.”

Snufkin shrugged. “There’s no hurry. There’s plenty of time to figure out what to do with your life,” he said. “I already know what I’m going to do, though.”

Moomintroll snorted, turning to look at him. “Yeah? And what would that be?”

Snufkin faced him, about to say a snarky remark about wandering the world. But then, he caught Moomintroll’s eyes and froze.

Snufkin gazed at him, trapped. The way the sun’s remaining light reflected off them and made it look like he had somehow caught the ocean within. They glittered jovially, and they were glittering for _him_.

It was here, now, that Snufkin realized he might just be in love with his best friend. He may have known it before, actually, but he always dismissed the thought. But as they stood there, silhouetted against the light of the sunset, the wind ruffling through the braids in Moomintroll’s fur… he only had one thought.

He grabbed Moomintroll’s paw and voiced it, a surge of confidence flowing through him.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”


	2. Day 2: Home

Snufkin was late. It’s been a week since spring started, though it didn’t seem like it. The air still had that winter bite, and some snow was left unmelted on the treetops. At this point, the whole valley had woken up and were busy with spring cleaning.

Well, the whole valley sans Moomintroll, that is.

He’d spent most of the week holed up in his bedroom, reading and re-reading the same stories and staring out the window. He was barely eating, barely sleeping. It was starting to get worrisome.

On the seventh night of spring, Moomintroll finally emerged and padded downstairs. Midnight had long since passed, and his parents were sound asleep. He’d practically raided the pantry, making himself a very healthy meal of buttered toast and some dubious-looking orange juice. It wasn’t much, but it made him feel a bit better.

He sat on the couch and crunched on his toast sullenly. He knew he wasn’t supposed to eat in the living room, but he wasn’t frightened of the consequences.

All of a sudden, a series of urgent knocks came from the front door, causing Moomintroll to jump two feet in the air and almost dropping his midnight snack. Adrenaline coursing through him, he vaulted the sofa’s arm and dashed towards the door. When he swung it open, a blast of chilly air rammed into him, sending goosebumps up and down his arms. He squinted into the darkness, unable to see the visitor.

“Ah… h-hullo,” a familiar voice greeted from the doorstop. “I do hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Snufkin!” Moomintroll exclaimed, breathing out a deep sigh of relief. “Oh, it is so good to see you again!”

Before Snufkin could say another word, Moomintroll laughed and wrapped his arms around him in a huge hug. Snufkin chuckled, giving him a stiff pat on the back. They stood like that for a moment before Moomintroll plopped him back down, his face split in an ear-to-ear grin. Then, realizing the situation, his eyes lit up.

“If this weather is cold for me, you must be frozen solid!” he surmised guilty. “Please, please come in! I want to hear all about your winter adventures.”

Moomintroll held the door open and beckoned for him to follow. Snufkin wiped his boots and obliged, his footsteps reluctant. He dropped off his heavy-looking backpack by the front door.

“I’ll put some tea on right away… you prefer chamomile, do you not? Oh, I’ve been so worried… are you alright? Where have you been?”

Snufkin blinked, dazed by the multitude of questions. “Uh… yes, c-chamomile is fine, I’m doing alright, and that’s a long story.”

Moomintroll snorted. He had missed Snufkin’s quips. “Well, luckily, we’ve got all night! Come, come. Sit down, won’t you?”

Moomintroll turned to look at Snufkin in the light, but his hat was shadowing his face. Moomintroll ducked down a bit, and found that Snufkin’s face was covered in little scratches.

“Well, what’s this about, then?” Moomintroll asked, tilting his head worriedly. Everything about Snufkin’s body language made it seem like he didn’t want to be there.

“What’s what about?”

Moomintroll squinted skeptically. “Your face. Why’s it all cut up? Are you okay?” he restated.

“Oh, that?” He shrugged nonchalantly, crossing his arms across his chest. “ ‘ts nothin’. Don’t worry about it.”

Moomintroll’s ear flicked. Something was off, but Snufkin wasn’t saying anything. He didn’t like the look of it.

“Too late. I’m worried.” With a huff, he nabbed the cuff of his outfit and coaxed him towards the washroom. Snufkin floundered a bit, embarrassed.

“It’s n-nothing I can’t handle! Seriously!” Snufkin urged, struggling.

“Don’t be silly. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Moomintroll said. He opened the door with his foot and brought him inside. Snufkin sat down on the edge of the tub, muscles tense and shivering like a leaf in the wind.

“T-There’s no need to worry,” he attempted, his voice wavering, “it isn’t b-bad at all. Just a few scratches.”

Moomintroll shushed him, grabbing a washcloth from under the sink and wetting it. “Please. You needn’t worry about troubling me, Snufkin.”

Uncomfortable, Snufkin crossed his legs and bit the inside of his cheek. Moomintroll gestured for him to remove his hat, holding the washcloth at the ready. He complied sheepishly, revealing that the cuts were worse than he thought. He rolled up his sleeves as well, showing off a plethora of scars up and down his arms as well.

“Your hands too?” he murmured, disbelieving. “Oh, what have you gotten into…”

He pressed the cloth into Snufkin’s paws and turned, rummaging through the mirror-cabinet. “This calls for antiseptic wipes too, I’m afraid,” he said lowly.

Timid, Snufkin dabbed at the cuts on his face cautiously. They stung, but it wasn’t as bad as it was when he first got them. He stared at the ground as he cleaned up, too embarrassed to speak. There was a pause in conversation.

“What happened?” Moomintroll inquired idly, peeking nervously over his shoulder at his friend. Snufkin made a vague “I ‘unno” noise, unable to meet his eyes.

“I may have… f-fallen. Into a briar patch.” He scratched the back of his neck. “... Pursued by the p-police.”

Stunned, Moomintroll paused to stare at him with wide eyes. Snufkin waved his free hand frantically in a “don’t worry!” motion. “I-It’s really no problem though! I barely feel-- _ow._ ”

Moomintroll’s eyebrows creased and he closed the mirror. He knelt down in front of him to be at eye-level. Snufkin shifted uncomfortably.

“These are antiseptic wipes. They’ll so you don’t get an infection,” he explained, opening a little box and taking out one of the pouches. He ripped it open and showed Snufkin the towelette. “It’s going to sting, but it will be a lot worse if you get sick.”

Snufkin nodded slowly, his tail rapidly twitching back and forth. Moomintroll took Snufkin’s hand, flipped it over, and cautiously wiped at his inner forearm. Snufkin hissed quietly, recoiling with his ears drawn flat against his skull. He very nearly fell into the bathtub in the process.

“Ah! I’m sorry!” Moomintroll pardoned himself, withdrawing and holding his hands up in surrender. “I tried to warn you!”

Snufkin calmed himself, persuading his fur to lie back down. “Ow. It’s fine,” he said. “Sorry for being a nuisance…”

Moomintroll scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. “Oh, stop. You don’t need to be sorry for something silly like that.”

Snufkin averted his eyes, feeling foolish. Then, he offered up his arm again and steeled himself.

~

After all was said and done, it took thirty or so minutes (and half a box of colorful band-aids) for Snufkin to get cleaned up. But he had to admit, he felt a lot better afterwards. He’d also warmed up quite a bit.

Snufkin insisted to help Moomintroll with some chores; cleaning up the bathroom, starting up the fire-place, and steeping some tea for the two of them. All the while, he explained the circumstances of his tardiness. Currently, he was sitting on the couch next to Moomintroll, recalling his (slightly embellished) winter.

“So, you see, if not for the miscommunication between me and the park ranger, I would have been back right on time,” he concluded, holding up his cup triumphantly. “I never _really_ trespassed in the first place! At least, not this time.”

Moomintroll chuckled, propping his head up on his paws sleepily. “Mhm. Remind me, was this before or after the run-in with the florist?”

“After,” he affirmed, pleased that Moomintroll had been paying attention. “But still before the uprising, which would lead to me getting stuck the briar patch.”

“Oh, okay. That makes sense,” Moomintroll said, placing his emptied tea cup on the coffee table. He yawned obnoxiously, which to Snufkin was a cue for him to leave for the night.

“Well, this has been lovely,” he said, placing his tea cup on the table as well, “but I should probably be going. I’ve yet to put up my tent.”

At this, Moomintroll sprang up, wide awake. “You’re leaving? But it’s freezing outside!” he rebuffed, wringing his hands. Snufkin’s eyebrows shot up. He wasn’t prepared for this.

He backed up towards the door, reaching down to the ground to pick up his bag. “I know… but I’d hate to be more of a burden than I already have been.”

Moomintroll rushed towards the door with surprising haste and barred the front door stubbornly. “Oh, won’t you stay the night?” he pleaded. “I would hate to see you become a popsicle tomorrow morning.”

Snufkin laughed, hiding his lopsided smile with a hand. “Moomin, I’ll be fine. I know how to take care of myself.”

“I know that better than anyone, Snufkin,” he mumbled. “But I insist. Would you stay? Just for tonight?”

Snufkin hesitated. He thought about how cold he was when he was out, and about how long it would take to set up his tent. Then, he considered the warmth of Moominhouse. Though the answer was obvious, it came with some amount of indecision on his end.

“Hmm… only if it’s no trouble to you, of course. I don’t want to get in the way.”

Moomintroll groaned and rubbed at his forehead. “Snufkin! You’re doing it again!”

Snufkin placed the backpack on the floor again, his face blank. “Doing… doing what, exactly?”

“The thing!” he replied unhelpfully. “The thing you always do when you don’t want to ‘inconvenience’ someone!”

“What are you talking about?”

Moomintroll drew in a deep breath and took Snufkin’s elbow, steering him back to the sofa.

“You always say stuff like this. ‘Sorry to disturb you’. ‘There’s no need to worry’. ‘If it’s not too much trouble’,” Moomintroll explained, gesturing recklessly. “I don’t understand it.”

Snufkin stood quietly, fidgeting. He hasn’t really seen Moomintroll this peeved for… well, for a while at least. “I just don’t want to bother anyone too much…”

Moomintroll motioned at him, his tail twitching in aggravation. “You don’t need to be sorry just for existing! You’re not a burden if you’re just asking for basic amenities!” he said. “You’ll always be welcome here. Asking for help isn’t something that you need to apologize for.”

Snufkin looked at the ground, ashamed. He hadn’t even noticed he was doing anything like that. It just felt natural for him to be sorry… Why was that?

His train of thought was interupted when Moomintroll suddenly grasped his paws and held them in his own. Then, he raised both sets and held them against Snufkin’s cheeks carefully. He felt his face burn up, but was too shocked to pull away.

“Snufkin, look at me,” Moomintroll said, their faces unbearably close. Snufkin cringed, his eyes darting to something -- anything -- other than his face. “Look at me!” he repeated.

Snufkin finally caved and allowed himself to look into Moomintroll’s eyes. He saw his own reflection in them, cowering like some cornered woodland creature. He swallowed thickly, unable to look away now.

“Snufkin. You are one of the most important people in the world to me,” Moomintroll said quietly. “You should _never_ apologize just for being here. You’re a funny, wonderful, exciting person. Why can everyone see that but you?”

Snufkin felt a lump in his throat and pinpricks behind his eyes, but he forced himself to stay calm. Moomintroll’s face was scrunched up with worry now, rather than anger. Moomintroll continued his spiel.

“You make my day brighter any time you’re around me. Every moment I spend with you is like… like…” Moomintroll hesitated and looked away, his face turning pink. “... It’s like a dream. It doesn’t feel real. Because _I’m_ the one who can’t believe that you would hang out with someone as silly as me. Not the other way around.”

At this point, Snufkin wasn’t even trying to stop the tears from flowing down his cheek. He stepped backwards and wiped them away, his face red. Through his blurred vision, he could see that Moomintroll was likewise tearful.

Then, to mask his confusion and awe, he cracked a wobbly smile and let out a little giggle.

“... Nobody has ever said anything like that to me.” He exhaled shakily, his voice cracking a bit.

Moomintroll’s smile lit up his whole face, and the whole room felt a bit brighter. “A crime, surely. Have people no taste?”

Snufkin could keep the beam from his face, and before he knew it, his arms were wound tight around Moomintroll. He buried his face into his soft fur and laughed like he never had before.

There wasn’t even any hesitation before Moomintroll hugged him back, catching Snufkin’s contagious laughter and resting his head on his shoulder. They slid to the ground like that, holding each other desperately. Laughing for no good reason.

And, for the first time since Snufkin decided to start his nomadic lifestyle, he felt like he was truly at home. There, in Moomintroll’s arms, is where he really truly belonged. He was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol turns out im a huge idiot! and posted.. the wrong draft!... and didnt notice. so rip.   
> thank u for ur patience lol

**Author's Note:**

> psst. you there.  
> u can read more about snufkin appreciation week right over [>>here<<](https://moomin-weeks.tumblr.com/post/185342788058/as-promised-here-are-the-official-prompts-for) !!!  
> (i've never done anything like this before, so apologies if i screwed smth up)


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